Door dovetail



F. W. BEYER DOOR DOVETAIL Feb. ll, 1930.

Filed Sept.k 23, 1927 Hlmlllml Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES maanPATENT OFFICE FRED W. BEYER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONALSTAMPING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN noon :DOVETAIL Applicationfiled September 23, 1927.

This invention relates to door dovetails, the principal object being toprovide a new and novel construction simple in design, efficient inoperation, that will not deteriorate 5 from age, and is economical toproduce.

Another objectis to provide a door dovetail member comprising acircularly shaped housing closed on one side and provided with a memberwithin the same comprising a pair 0 of arcuate segments engaging thecircular walls of the housing and joined at one end to the free ends ofa U shaped member, spring means urging the opposite end of the segmentsapart whereby to exert a tendency to 5 close the mouth of the U, and aplate overlying the housing and provided with an opening overlying the Ushaped member.

A further object is to provide a door dovetail member comprising acasing having a recess provided with a curved wall, a member lyingwithin said recess comprising a U shaped portion provided with outwardlyeX- tending free ends slidably engaging the curved wall, the sides ofthe U shaped portion being angular in section and the remainder beingflat in section, spring means being provided between the free ends ofthe outwardly extending end portions of the member, a slot beingprovided in the casing in line with the open end of the U shapedportion, and a plate member overlying the casing enclosing the recess,the plate member being provided with an opening in line with the openingin the wall of the casing and extending centrally of the U shapedportion of the member within the casing.

The above being among the objects of the present invention the sameconsists in certain features of construction and combinations of partsto be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing,and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

ln the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several views,-

Fig. l is a perspective phantom view of the edge of a door showing themale member of a door dovetail positioned thereon.

Serial No. 221,419.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a door frame member provided with thefemale member of a door dovetail constructed in accordance with thepresent invention secured thereto in a position to cooperate lwith themale member sjhown secured to the edge of the door in ig. l.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the door dovetal member shown in Fig. 2, partsof the same being broken away and other parts being shown in partialsection to better illustrate the Vconstruction of the same.

Fig. 4; is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a. view of the free end of one of the circular side portionsof the holding member of the door dovetail member shown in Fig. 3 takenin the same direction as Fig. 4, and

illustrating the manner in which the coil spring cooperates with thesame to force such end portions apart.

Fig. 6 is a face view of the male member of the door dovetail shown inphantom in Fig. 1.

As understood by those familiar with this art, door dovetails are usedin preventing vertical movement of the free edge of a door in relationto the cooperating door frame and comprise essentially a male member anda female member. One ofthe members is secured to the free edge of thedoor and the other is secured to thecooperating door frame member, andare so positioned that when the door is closed the male member lits finto or cooperates with the female member and thereby prevents verticalmovement of l the one in respect to the other.

Although it is immaterial in the present invention which member issecured to the door or to the door frame, it is conventional .practiceto secure the male member to the edge of the door and the female memberin the door frame'and this position of the members is shown in theaccompanying drawing. The male member shown is of conventional designand comprises a base l0 and an outwardly projecting portion ll, theportion l1 being preferably tapered in the direction of the innor sideof the ydoor so as to more easily enter the cooperating female member.Openings such as 12 are provided for the passage of screws or the likefor the purpose of securing. the male member in position on the edge ofthe door.

The present invention deals particularly with the construction of thefemale member which is adapted to be secured in the edge of the doorframe as indicated in Fig. 2. rI`his member, as indicated in Figs. 2 to5 inclusive of the drawing, comprises a casing formed from sheet ofmetal to provide flange portions 13, a central recess 14 circular insection and bounded on the sides by the circular walls 15 and on thebottom by the bottom wall 16, it beingl open opposite the bot-tom wall16. A portion of the circular side walls are cut out as indicated at 17to provide an opening in such walls. Within the recess 14 is positioneda holding` member comprising` side portions 18 joined together at oneend by the portion 19 and having outwardly extending portions 2O at theother end thereof. This member is positioned Within the recess 14 withthe open end of the members 18 adjacent and in line with the portion cutout of the walls 15 at 17, the portions 2O being reversely bent inrelation to the portions 18 and circular in formation to match thecircular walls 15 of the recess 14 against which they slidably contact.The free ends of the portions 2O extend back to that portion of therecess 14 opposite the opening in the walls and into adjacent but spacedrelationship, the extremities thereof being bent inwardly out of contactwith the walls 15 as at 21 and being formed to provide a shoulder suchas 22 (see Fig. 5). A. coil spring 23 is positioned between the endportions 21 and is held Within the recess un der compression between theshoulders 22. The side portions 18 are formedwith marginal flanges 24 inorder to stillen the same longitudinally and for a purpose to bedescribed later. The portion 19 and the portions 20 are relativelyIlexible and resilient. f

Positioned over the open end of the recess 14 and secured in contactinglrelationship against the face of the flanged portions 13 byspot-weldingor other suitable means, is a face plate comprisirI the faceportion 25, angularly bent edge portion 26, and marginal flange 27, theedge portion 26 abutting against the edge of the housing member andthecircular walls 15 at the point where the aforesaid opening is providedtherein. An opening- 28 is formed in the edge portion 26 in line withthe opening in the circular side walls 15 and with the open ends ofmembers 18. the metal at the edge of the opening 28 being preferablystruck in as at 29 and engaging the ends of the members 18 adjacentthereto in orw der to limit the amount which such ends of the members 18may approach each other.

The face portion 25 is provided with an opening 30' which connects withthe opening 28 and extends transversely across the face of the port-ion25 centrally of the members 18. The openings 28 and 29 are formed ofsufficient width to permit the free passage of the projection 11 of themale member therebetween. The flanged portions 24 on the members 18 bearagainst the underside of the face portion 25 adjacent the opening 30 andact to hold the members 18 in proper operating position within therecess 14. Suitable openings such as 31 are provided through both theface portion 25 and the flange portions 13 for the passage of screwssuch as 32 for the purpose of securing the female member in the edge ofthe door frame 33.

he relation ofthe various parts are, of course, such that when the malemember is not in engagement in the female member the spring-:23 forcesthe outer ends of members 18 towards each other to a distance less thanthe thickness of the projection 11 on the male member, the inwardly bentportions 29 on the edge portion 26 of the face plate limiting the amountwhich such ends may approach each other in order to constantly providean openingbetween the members 18 of sufficient width to permit theprojection 11 to be forced between the same.

rllhe operation of the device will be apparent from the above. Then thedoor 34 swings into engaging relationship with its corresponding doorfra-me 33 the projection 11 of the male member of the dovetail entersthe openings 28 and 30 in the face plate of the female member andagainst the outer ends of the side portions 18 within the female member.The projection 11 forces the onter ends of the members 18 apart, theportions 2O sliding in the recess 14 against the circular walls 15 andcompressing the spring` 23 to accommodate this movement, and the endportion 19 connecting the inner ends of the side porions 18 bending toalso accommodate this movement. The spring 23 in tending to force thefree ends 21 ofthe portions 2O apart, not only resists this movement dueto being compressed but the same is also resisted by the frictionbetween the portions 2O and the cir cular walls 15 which is set up bythe spring in forcing the end portions 21 apart. t will be apparent thatwhen the projection 11 has been forced between the side porti-ons 18 thesame will .securely hold it against vertical movement with respectthereto. It will also be apparent that as soonas the door is opened,thus withdrawing the projection 11 from between the side portions 18,the side portions 18, portions 2O and spring 23 will return to theposition shown in the drawings.

From the above it will be apparent that the device herein described isextremely simple in construction, may be formed by a few simple stampingoperations, is economical to produce and includes no rubber memberswhich may deteriorate solely because of ase- Cil Formal changes may bemade in the specific embodiment of the invention described withoutdeparting from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, thescope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

That I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a circularly shaped housingclosed on one side, a member positioned within said housing comprising apair of arcuate portions engaging the circular walls of said housing anda U- shaped portion joined at its ends to adjacent ends of said arcuateportions, springs urging the opposite ends of said arcuate portionsapart, and a plate overlying and closing said housing provided with anopening in line with said U-shaped member.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a face plate providedwith an opening therethrough, a back plate secured to said face plateand providing a circular chamber equally disposed on either side of saidopening, a member within said chamber comprising a pair of arcuateportions slidably engaging the walls of said chamber and connected atone end by a U-shaped portion lying in line with said opening, and aspring cooperating with the other ends or' said arcuate parts constantlyurging said ends apart.

3. In a device of the class described, an angle plate, two adjacentfaces or' said plate having a continuous opening therethrough, a casingsecured to the rear face of said plate overlying said opening andproviding a circularly walled chamber, a member within said Ichambercomprising a pair or" arcuate portions slidably engaging said walls anda U- shaped portion connecting said arcuate portions and positioned inline with said opening, and a spring for forcing the free ends of saidarcuate portions apart.

4. In a device of the class described, a casing providing a generallycircular recess, a member lying within said recess comprising a pair of`spaced relatively stiff portions joined at adjacent ends by a yieldableportion` arcuate portions each joined at one end to the other ends ofsaid stiff portions an-d extending outwardly therefrom in contact withthe walls of said recess, spring means for urging the other ends of saidarcuate portions apart, the walls of said recess being provided with anopening in line with the space between said stili portions and at theunconnected ends thereof, and a plate overlying said casing and coveringsaid recess, said plate being provided with a slot there- Vthrough inline with the space between said stilll portions and matching saidopening.

5. In a device of the class described, a cas-- ing provided with arecess having a curved wall, a member lying within said recesscomprising a U-shaped portion provided at its ends with outwardlyextending free curved portions slidably engaging said wall, the

sides of said U-shaped portion being angular in section and theremainder of said member being flat in section, spring means for urgingthe free ends of said curved portions apart, said casing being providedwith a slot in line with the open end of said U-shape-d portion, and aplate member overlying said casing and closing said recess, said platemember being provided with an opening in line with said lJ-shapedportion and said slot.

6. In a device of the class described, a casing provided with a recesshaving a curved wall, a member lying within said recess comprising aresilient U-shaped portion having outwardly extending reversely bentportions resiliently connected thereto in sliding contact with saidwall, resilient means for urging the free ends of said member outwardly,said casing being provided with a slot in line with the open end of saidU-shaped portion, tongues on said casing engaging the ends of saidU-shaped portion and limiting the inward movement thereof, and a platemember overlying said recess and secured to said casing, said platemember being provided with an opening in line with said U-shaped portionand said slot.

7. In a -device of the class described, a casing provided with acircular recess and an outwardly extending marginal flange portion, agenerally W-shaped member lying within said recess with the outerportions thereof curved and in frictional contact with the walls of saidcasing, the free ends of said member lying in generally opposed andadjacent relationship, spring means for urging said free ends of saidmember apart, said casing being provided with an opening adjacent thebottom of said W, and a plate overlying said casing and secured to saidflanges, said plate being provided with an opening matching said openingin said casing and extending centrally over said casing.

8. In a device or' the class described, a casing having a circularlyshaped recess therein, a member within said recess comprising a pair ofarcuate portions and a U-shaped intermediate portion disposed betweensaid arcuate portions and operatively connected thereto, said arcuateportions litting and slidably engaging the walls of said recess, andspring means constantly urging said arcuate portions into rictionalcontact with said walls and the opposite sides of said U-shaped portionvtogether.

FRED W. BEYER.

